In a heterogeneous network, small access nodes (e.g., short range, low power access node) can be deployed at macro access node (e.g., strongest signal strength) hotspots to increase network system capacity. For example, carrier aggregation is a technique used by macro access nodes for consolidating wireless spectrum and frequency bands to “free-up” wireless spectrum for allocation to the deployed small access nodes. This enables increased data throughput to wireless devices operating within the coverage area of the macro access node. In some instances, however, aggressive deployment of small access nodes within the coverage area of the macro access node may result in decreased throughput to wireless devices operating at cell edges of the small access nodes due to radio interference from neighboring cells.
Inter-cell interference coordination techniques, for example, designating subframes as almost blank subframes (ABS), create opportunities for wireless devices operating at the cell edges of small access nodes to receive downlink information from the network without interference from the macro access node. In some instances, neighboring macro access nodes may assign out-of-sequence patterns of ABS to the small access nodes, which creates interference at the cell edges of the small access nodes resulting in increased interference to wireless devices and decreased throughput